The Okapi Wildlife Reserve in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) protects nearly 14,000 square kilometers (5,405 square miles) of tropical rainforest and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It’s home to a treasure trove of wildlife: one-fifth of the global population of okapi (Okapia johnstoni); the DRC’s largest populations of forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes); 17 species of primates, more than any other African forest; 10 species of forest antelope, including bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus) and dwarf antelope (Nesotragus batesi); more than 370 species of birds; and more. In the north, rocky outcrops called inselbergs house unique endemic plants, and in the south, waterfalls cascade along the Epulu River. Approximately 27,000 people — a quarter of whom are Indigenous Mbuti and Efe forest peoples — live within the reserve and depend on the forest.
for more information visit the link below;
‘It’s a real mess’: Mining and deforestation threaten unparalleled DRC wildlife haven
